FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cartridge 60 containing such a disk 6. The cartridge 60 is provided at a side portion thereof with a shutter 61 for opening the cartridge to expose the disk 6 or alternatively closing the cartridge. A guide groove 62 is formed in the end face of the side portion over the entire length. The upper surface of the cartridge 60 bears an arrow mark 63 indicating the direction of insertion of the cartridge 60.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional disk recording or playback device to show the cartridge 60 in the course of insertion. FIGS. 7A and 7B are side elevations of the conventional disk recording or playback device, FIG. 7A showing an open position permitting the insertion of the cartridge 60, FIG. 7B showing the cartridge 60 as completely inserted. FIGS. 8A and 8B are side elevations of the conventional disk recording or playback device, FIG. 8A showing a closed position in which the cartridge 60 is loaded on a chassis 1, FIG. 8B showing the holder 3 to be described below during transition from the closed position to the open position.
A holder 3 for the cartridge 60 to be inserted in has a base end pivoted as at 41 to a pair of support plates 18, 18 projecting upward from the chassis 1. The holder 3 has a side wall provided with a kickout member 5 which is slidable in the direction of insertion of the cartridge 60. With the device of the type described, the cartridge 60 in the holder 3 is urged by the kickout member 5 toward the direction of discharge from the holder 3 during the transition of the holder 3 from the closed position to the open position. The arrangement for this purpose will be described below.
The side wall of the holder 3 shown in FIG. 6 has a lug 30 projecting into a path of movement of the kickout member 5. The kickout member 5 is made from a metal sheet by bending and comprises a slide plate 50 fitting in an elongated slit 37 formed in the side wall of the holder 3. The slide plate 50 has a contact piece 57 extending into the holder 3 and pushable by the cartridge 60, an engaging piece 58 deformable on deflection by coming into contact with the lug 30 on the holder 3, and a pusher 59 for pivotally moving the change-over lever 40 to be described below. The kickout member 5 is biased by a spring 54 toward the cartridge discharge direction. When the holder 3 is empty, the engaging piece 58 of the kickout member 5 is positioned toward the cartridge discharge direction beyond the lug 30 (see FIG. 7A).
The change-over lever 40 is pivoted as at 40a to a second support plate 19 projecting upward from the chassis 1 and is movable into the path of movement of the kickout member 5. The change-over lever 40 is biased clockwise by a torsion spring (not shown) fitted to the pivot portion 40a, and restrained from moving clockwise by contact with a projection 19a on the second support plate 19. The pivot portion 40a comprises a pin 16 projecting outward from the second support plate 19 and fitting in a hole formed in the change-over lever 40.
When inserted into the holder 3 in the open position shown in FIG. 7A, the cartridge 60 pushes in the kickout member 5 against the spring 54. The engaging piece 58 advances while being deflected downward by contact with the lug 30 on the holder 3, restores itself from deflection upon moving out of bearing contact with the lug 30, and engages with the lug 30 as shown in FIG. 7B. Thus, the cartridge 60 is completely inserted into the holder 3.
When the holder 3 is moved down about the pivot portion 41 from the state shown in FIG. 7B, the pusher 59 of the kickout member 5 temporarily turns the change-over lever 40 counterclockwise against the action of the torsion spring. Upon the pusher 59 moving out of contact with the change-over lever 40, the change-over lever 40 returns to its original position as shown in FIG. 8A. The holder 3 is now in its closed position.
When the holder 3 is pivotally moved upward from the closed position shown in FIG. 8A, the pusher 59 comes into contact with the change-over lever 40. The lever 40, which is restrained from moving clockwise by the projection 19a, presses and elastically deforms the pusher 59. This disengages the engaging piece 58 from the lug 30, causing the kickout member 5 to be returned by the force of the spring 54 toward the direction of discharge of the cartridge 60. The cartridge 60 is discharged by being pushed by the contact piece 57, and the kickout member 5 returns to the open position shown in FIG. 7A.
With the conventional device, however, the first support plates 18 provided with the pivot portion 41 for the holder 3 are separate from the second support plate 19 having the change-over lever 40 pivoted thereto as at 40a, so that when the device is manufactured in large quantities, variations are likely to occur in the distance between the pivot portion 41 of the holder 3 and the pivot portion 40a of the change-over lever 40. The timing at which the kickout member 5 is disengaged from the lug 30 will then differ from device to device, entailing the drawback of altering the cartridge discharge timing. It is also likely that the timing at which the cartridge 60 is completely inserted into the holder 3 will differ.